Benefits of hyperbaric oxygenotherapy in the treatment of venous ulcer

Abstract

This article aims to verify, in the literature, the benefits of hyperbaric oxygen therapy in people with venous ulcers. The methodology is an integrative review conducted in the Virtual Health Library (BVS), National Library of Medicine (PubMed), and Web of Science. The descriptors in Portuguese and English were used: Varicose Ulcer AND Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy. The association of descriptors enabled the selection of forty (40) articles without including a time limit, five (05) articles were included in the review. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy showed a high potential healing effect on chronic venous wounds. The evinced effects were: improvement of tissue hypoxia, increased perfusion, reduction of edema, decrease in the regulation of inflammatory cytokines, proliferation of fibroblasts, collagen production and angiogenesis. The review showed efficacy in the treatment of complex venous ulcers with hyperbaric oxygenation, as there was a reduction in pain scores, an increase in the healing and curing process, however, it was not possible to observe effects in non-complex ulcers.